Artlessly Falling
Mary Halvorson starts with the words on Artlessly Falling. The songs are built around different poetic forms, yet rarely sound as though they merely serve a complicated idea. Her group Code Girl uses the lyrics to create music that moves between gentle melodies, restless ensemble playing and sharp guitar outbursts.
The voices give the record a distinctive character. Amirtha Kidambi can introduce a melody delicately before taking a much freer vocal approach. Robert Wyatt appears on three songs. His vulnerable, recognisable voice brings a different tension, particularly in the way a phrase seems to linger.
The Lemon Trees opens with a circular guitar pattern and Wyatt's singing. The trumpet has room to extend the melodic line. There is a lightness to the music, but the interaction keeps changing its shape. It provides an approachable entrance to an album that later offers less obvious guidance.
On Walls and Roses, Halvorson replaces the quiet backing with a much sharper guitar sound. That contrast matters. Her guitar does not control the volume throughout, but changes the direction whenever it becomes more prominent. Muzzling Unwashed takes a looser form, with voice and instruments allowing one another space without fixing every detail.
The longer songs need more patience. Mexican War Streets (Pittsburgh) moves from a melodic setting towards a heavy guitar passage and freer playing. The title track begins almost like a quiet folk song before the guitar pulls the group in another direction. These transitions keep the music surprising.
Not every combination of words and music fits immediately. The singing and changing structures can leave a considerable distance between this material and a straightforward song. Even so, Artlessly Falling offers more than an interesting concept. Its different voices, strong musicians and Halvorson's feel for unexpected changes give the record plenty of character beyond its central idea.
